The Shining Falcon

Chapter XXV Revelations

For a moment, Maria could only stare at her elegant visitor and try frantically to muster her bewildered thoughts. It wasn't helping that he was fair, so very fair, with those fine, high cheekbones and shining hair… She supposed that the proper thing to do would be to scream for help. But this was hardly some common intruder. He had been a falcon just a moment ago…

Well now, Maria admitted to herself, I'm certainly not going to call for help until I find out who he really is, and why he's come.

«Finist the falcon," she echoed, rather amazed at how calm she sounded. «That doesn't tell me very much. Who is Finist the falcon?»

«No one to harm you.» His amber eyes—hawk eyes, thought Maria—were very bright. «Ever.» He hesitated a moment, then said simply, «Lady, I am Finist, Prince of Kirtesk.»

Kirtesk… «Oh. Oh! The magician-prince!» To her astonishment, she felt herself grinning. «Oh, my. You'd - better not let my father know you're here. He—ah‑doesn't care for magicians.»

He grinned in return. «I know. That's precisely why I didn't appear to him.»

There was something about his voice, something so teasingly familiar… But that was impossible! «And why have you appeared?» Maria asked, adding belatedly, «Your Highness — "

«No, please, that's not necessary!»

But now she'd placed that voice. «Finn… ?» she whispered.

«You know me?» That came out as such a yelp of astonishment that Maria had to bite back a laugh.

«Then you are Finn! But why this disguise?»

«Ah, no, what you see now is my true self.»

«Then why… ?»

«Was I hiding all that time as lowly Finn?» He sighed. «Because, thanks to my own foolishness, I got caught aloft, in falcon-form, by a storm that finally dumped me close to where your father found me.»

Maria nodded. «And it wouldn't have been wise for a prince alone in a foreign realm to advertise his presence.»

«I bow to your wisdom.»

«But what I don't understand…» Maria stopped, horrified to feel tears welling up in her eyes, then determinedly started again, «What I don't understand is why you slipped away from us like‑like some criminal, without so much as a farewell.»

«Oh, Maria!» Finist breathed. «I never meant to hurt you, believe me! It's only that I had to be elsewhere, swiftly. And knowing your father's views on magic, I didn't want to frighten you by taking falcon-form in front of you.» He took a wary step forward. «Am I forgiven?»

«It's not for me to forgive a prince.»

«Please, don't…» He stopped, studying her with a birdlike tilt of the head. And Maria, bewildered, saw a hint of joy lighten the fine-boned face. «Ahh," the prince said, very softly, «but this is something more than mere insulted pride, isn't it?»

Maria felt a little shiver run through her at the brightness of that amber gaze. Despite herself, she found herself remembering becoming so sharply aware of Finn as male, as desirable… He was still desirable, more so in this new, exotic guise…

And this was a dangerous train of thought! Alarmed at herself, Maria said, a bit too sharply, «I don't know what you mean.»

«Don't you?» There was the faintest, most alluring hint of wildness hidden in that urbane voice. «Maria…»

Hastily she took a step back. «That dream was your doing, wasn't it? The one about seeking out the feather— your feather! Yes? But, why?»

To her amazement, he reddened. «I was afraid.»

«Afraid!»

«Oh, yes. I couldn't think of any more direct way to introduce myself, as myself, as a magician. I thought you might share your father's views.»

«About magic.» Maria thought of the forest, and the leshy, and smiled faintly in spite of herself. «No. He'd probably have me in a convent for saying this, but no, I don't fear it. But that doesn't explain what you're doing here! Unless… There were rumors at court about you, and‑It was you, wasn't it? Speaking to Prince Svyatoslav, I mean, clearing Father's name‑it was you.»

«Yes. Oh no, Maria, don't.»

She'd swept down to the floor in a deep curtsey. «Prince Finist, I offer the deepest gratitude of my father and myself.»

«Please, Maria.» He knelt beside her. «I couldn't not have done it, for the sake of justice. And… for your sake. But I didn't come here to hear words of thanks.»

Before she could rise, he captured her hands in his. Confused, overwhelmed by his nearness, Maria looked up into the bright amber eyes, wondering, seeing something of the same wonder she felt mirrored in their depths.

«Then… you can care for me…» Finist breathed after a time. «You can, you do!»

Maria panicked. Struggling to free her hands, she gasped, «No, I… Finist, please, this—this is improper. If my father should — "

«Come, admit it!»

«Please! Finn—akh, I mean Finist— You've got me so confused I don't know what I mean! Let me up.»

«Not till you confess it. Maria, you do care for me! Admit it!»

She stared into the falcon-fierce eyes, so unlike those of Finn in their alien color, so familiar in their warmth. And all at once that warmth was racing through and through her, till all she could do was cry out, «Yes, I do! Finn, Finist, I always did!»

She felt his arms close about her, marvelling at their strength and gentleness; she felt his lips brush her cheek, her neck, tender, demanding, felt the warmth within her blazing up into a new, wonderful, terrifying fire, in that moment caring nothing for silly rank, propriety…

Then Finist was drawing away, so sharply it made her gasp in surprise. With one fluid leap, he was on his feet again, the falcon-wildness fading from his eyes as he used what was plainly a magician's trained will to get himself back under control. Maria, struggling to catch her breath, told herself she should appreciate that self‑control, showing concern for her honor as it did. But deep within her, a wicked little voice was ruing it just a bit…

Embarrassed, Maria blurted out, «I'm sorry," exactly at the same time as Finist. As one, they continued, «I didn't mean to — " and broke off in astonished laughter.

«Oh, enough of this!» gasped Finist. «Come, my dear.» He chivalrously offered Maria his hand, pulling her lightly to her feet. Dazed, bewildered, rejoicing, she felt a surge of sheer joy bubbling up inside her until she had to giggle like a little girl and say:

«It's going to take some adjustment of thinking to get used to you like this.»

He drew back, staring at her in genuine dismay. «You preferred me as Finn?»

«Now, did I say that?» teased Maria. Dizzy with her new joy, she pretended to study the prince as he'd studied her, trying to match the personality of Finn with the exotic handsomeness of Finist. «It really is going to take some adjustment.» There now, she could feel the giggles stealing out again. «But I do think I'll manage it!»

Handsome, oh yes. The sudden harsh thought cut into her giddiness, chilling as a wave of icy water. He's handsome as something out of the old tales. But you… Oh, fool!

«Maria, what is it? What's wrong?»

«How can you, you, care about me? I mean, I have a mirror, I know I'm no raving beauty, I'm not even‑I — "

«Akh, Maria, dear one, don't be foolish!»

«But — "

«Hush.»

And the warmth of his lips against hers quite silenced her.